ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment today announced that it is adding the Impossible™ Burger to menus at all SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Sesame Place and Water Parks (Aquatica, Adventure Island and Water Country USA) across the country. This large-scale culinary addition further supports SeaWorld's commitment to providing guests with sustainably sourced food and its mission to protect the environment across all aspects of its operations. The company announced the removal of all single-use plastic straws and single-use plastic shopping bags at its 12 theme parks in 2018 and earlier this year, announced it was replacing all polystyrene-foam dinnerware with products made from 100 percent recyclable material at its 12 parks as well.

The Impossible Burger is a sustainable, plant-based burger that has taken the country by storm, offering all of the flavor and as much protein as a typical 80/20 beef burger, with no cholesterol, less total fat, and fewer calories. This new menu item joins SeaWorld's growing culinary portfolio of sustainably and locally sourced food options. According to Impossible Foods, producing Impossible Burgers use 96% less land, generate 89% less of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, and use 87% less water than traditional burgers.

"Not only is it important that we integrate sustainable products and practices into our operations across all SeaWorld properties, but we have to satisfy our guests with a broad selection of healthy dining options – of which the Impossible Burger is an exciting addition," SeaWorld CEO Gus Antorcha said.

Christopher Ivy, Corporate VP of In-Park Revenue and Strategic Partnerships at SeaWorld added, "We are proud to offer our guests menu options that both taste great and have a positive environmental impact. The Impossible Burger was initially introduced to guests as a part of our popular Seven Seas and Food & Wine festivals. The response to the burger was so favorable we've now added it to our year-round park menus, offering additional options to our already growing list of plant-based and healthier food offerings."

David Lee, Chief Financial Officer at Impossible Foods says, "In order to achieve our long-term mission, Impossible Foods aims to serve our plant-based products in every outlet that traditional burgers are currently sold. We're looking forward to hearing how guests enjoy the Impossible Burger at SeaWorld locations."

As part of the Impossible Burger rollout across its parks, SeaWorld is donating 10% of the proceeds of every Impossible Burger sold through September 30^th to the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund in honor of the positive impact Impossible Foods is making on the planet and the animals that call it home. 

Guests are invited to come to the park, try an Impossible Burger and take advantage of this great opportunity to enjoy new dining options while also supporting the company's mission to protect animals and the wild wonders of the world.

SeaWorld is committed to providing responsibly sourced food products in its parks.  The company regularly partners with food suppliers with products that meet or exceed sustainability, healthy and humane food standards, including cage-free eggs, sustainably sourced seafood, and locally sourced produce where possible.

About SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. 
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment™ is a leading theme park and entertainment company providing experiences that matter and inspiring guests to protect animals and the wild wonders of our world. The company is one of the world's foremost zoological organizations and a global leader in animal welfare, behavioral training, husbandry and veterinary care. The company collectively cares for what it believes is one of the largest zoological collections in the world and has helped lead advances in the care of animals. The company also rescues and rehabilitates marine and terrestrial animals that are ill, injured, orphaned or abandoned, with the goal of returning them to the wild. The SeaWorld® rescue team has helped more than 35,000 animals in need over the last 55 years.

About Impossible Foods:
Based in California's Silicon Valley, Impossible Foods makes delicious, nutritious meat and dairy products from plants — with a much smaller environmental footprint than meat from animals. The privately held company was founded in 2011 by Patrick O. Brown, M.D., Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry at Stanford University and a former Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. Investors include Khosla Ventures, Bill Gates, Google Ventures, Horizons Ventures, UBS, Viking Global Investors, Temasek, Sailing Capital, and Open Philanthropy Project.

SOURCE SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment